Why the Sunday-Law Agitation Is Permitted to Come to the Front
By W. A. COLCORD
We fear that many of our people do not fully appreciate the significance of the present movement to secure State and national Sunday laws, nor understand the providence of God in permitting this matter to be pressed to the front. The following word, which came to us eleven years ago, is especially applicable at the present time:— “An effort is now on foot to enforce the observance of Sunday, and while the Sunday question is coming to the front, an opportunity is given to present to the world the true Sabbath in contrast with the false. The Lord is far ahead of us. He has permitted this Sunday question to be pressed to the front, in order that the Sabbath of the fourth commandment may be presented before legislative assemblies. The leading men of the nation are to have their attention called to the testimony of God’s Word in favor of the true Sabbath. If the testimony does not convert them, it is a witness that will condemn them. The Sabbath question is the great testing question for this time.”—Review and Herald, Feb. 7, 1893. Let all study this very carefully, for it shows not only why God permits the Sunday-law question to be pressed to the front, but what our duty is in regard to the movement. The agitation for Sunday laws is permitted in order that the Bible Sabbath may come to the front, and its claims be presented before the world, especially before the lawmakers and those in high positions in the land. Every movement for a Sunday law, whether municipal, State, or national, presents such an opportunity. Suppose, then, we treat these movements with indifference; what are we doing?—We are passing by opportunities to present the message for this time; for the Sabbath truth is the central feature of that message. This is the great, testing truth for this time. Movements of this kind exist at the present time, not only for national Sunday legislation, but in many of the States, such as Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Illinois, California, and others. What are we doing, brethren, to meet these issues? What should we do? and how shall we do it? Circulating petitions is one good means by which to call the people to the questions involved. Rightly carried on, it will not only lead to a knowledge that religious legislation on the part of civil government is wrong in principle, but to an investigation of the Sabbath question, and so to the knowledge that Sunday is not the true Sabbath. Appropriate literature setting forth the principles and the truth involved, should be scattered far and wide. Let every Seventh-day Adventist secure and read a set of the four religious liberty leaflets just issued, entitled, “Principles Too Little Understood,” “Sunday Laws,” “The Logic of Sabbath Legislation,” and “The Civil Sabbath.” After reading these, ask yourself if they would not be good reading-matter to place in the hands of the people just now, especially wherever the petitions are circulated, and where there is an agitation for Sunday legislation or the enforcement of Sunday laws already in existence. Then order a supply. The price of these is thirty-eight cents a hundred for each of the first three, and fifty-five cents a hundred for the fourth. The leaflet “Sunday Bills Now Before Congress” is another good document to circulate just now, and will be so until the bills are passed, or until the adjournment of Congress next March. The price of this is fifty cents a hundred. The “Open Letter” to the Washington ministers, which has just been issued in tract form by the Review and Herald Publishing Association, should be scattered everywhere. It has made a stir in Washington, and will be read with interest by the people all over the land. Many of our people who have read it think it the best thing we have ever published on the Sabbath question, particularly so because of the special circumstances connected with it. Just now is the time to give this a wide circulation. Millions of it ought to be scattered within the next few weeks. This can be had for forty cents a hundred, or $3.75 a thousand. Many of our brethren would do well to invest largely in this. We hope that our church officers and our people everywhere will awake to their present opportunities to do good, effective work. Circulate the petitions. This is the work the Baptists and Presbyterians carried on vigorously for many years in an early day in Virginia, which finally resulted not only in securing religious liberty in Virginia, but set the example for the new nation, which soon after arose. Let this good work go on as long as it is permitted. The Constitution of the United States says that “the right of petition shall never be denied.” Get up a tract fund, secure a good supply of tracts, scatter them, and give the people something to read. Make a stir. Millions of people are in favor of Sunday legislation who as yet know nothing whatever of the principles or real issue involved. God has given the light to us. Let us give it to the people. Thus we may hasten the work, and, with the fruit of our labors, soon see the King in his beauty, and share in the life eternal.